Sirius vs Malmo FF
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Today’s free tip is in the Swedish Allsvenskan between Sirius and Malmo FF.
Ever since Sirius earned themselves a heroic 3-3 draw at the Swedbank back in 2017, Malmo FF has made sure to show up and embarrass them. In fact, since then, Malmo FF hasn’t even conceded a goal against Sirius, scoring nine goals in three matches. I’m expecting more of the same today too.
Sirius isn’t a bad team, per se – just a bit short of brains. When it comes to work ethic, experience, and tenacity, Sirius is just fine. That’s because their management duo of Bergstrand and Lagerlof recruited really well during their time at the club, hence the club’s promotions and continually impressive displays against all odds. However, those two have now left the club to take on a bigger challenge at Djurgarden. Their replacement is Kalmar FF legend Rydstrom, assisted by Jelecak. It’s too early to say how well he’ll do. All I’ve seen from Sirius since he took over is the natural desire that already existed in the Sirius players prior to his arrival so let’s wait and see on that front.
Still, after selling star attacker Ogbu, chances are good that this will be a really tough season for Sirius. The club lacks quality; that’s the crux of the matter. It was easy for Bergstrand and Lagerlof to get the best out of these players but can Rydstrom too? Even if he can, I doubt it’d make much difference today. The quality gap between these two teams is arguably the biggest of any quality gap in the Allsvenskan. Sirius is in an unfamiliar moment and hasn’t displayed anything that greatly concerns me about backing the visitors today, that’s for sure, and it’d take a monolithic effort for Sirius for to upset the apple cart.
Admittedly, Malmo FF usually starts league campaigns slowly. That’s been the case this season too, although in Malmo FF’s defence, they’ve had hard games. Nobody will have an easy ride against a seriously impressive GIF Sundsvall this season, and BK Hacken Goteborg played some impressive cards pre-season in order to keep themselves in with a chance of winning the title. Technically, the home game with Ostersunds FK should have been a tough one too, given how tactically astute they were last season. However, the visitors on that occasion had seriously struggled this season, far moreso than the form guide suggests, and thus a Malmo FF win looked rather inevitable. Still, I liked how Malmo FF’s players applied themselves last time out. If they work as hard today, they won’t struggle.
When it comes to quality, Malmo FF has the best players in Sweden, no matter what AIK Solna and BK Hacken Goteborg has to say. Malmo FF has the most depth, the most quality, the most experience, and lots of match-winners. The squad was good enough already so part of me wonders if Malmo FF was just taking the piss by adding Rakip and Berget to an already brilliant squad. Both of them have played at Malmo FF before so there’s no real integration period either. Factor in that Molins is back from long-term injury too – so he’ll be like a new signing – and you’ve got a ridiculously strong Malmo FF side, particularly in midfield. Traustason was the match-winner at IFK Norrkoping. Rieks was the main man at IFK Goteborg. Now they’re in the same squad alongside a whole host of other brilliant attacking options.
I am curious to see how Malmo FF does up front though. I think loaning Strandberg to Orebro SK might just backfire on the team because Rosenberg, for all of his brawn, is not the most composed of finishers. Strandberg has lots to learn yet, I know, but at least his pace got him into good positions. Rosenberg needs good crosses; nothing else will get him on the scoresheet. Antonsson has done well but I still think they should have kept Strandberg. Anyway, Malmo FF has a good attack, and even their full-backs play substantial roles in ensuring it remains that way. Yes, I think Malmo FF could have done more in central defence but this is as close to a perfect squad as a Swedish club has had in years so I’d be nit-picking if I slated them there.
All Malmo FF needs is a bit of momentum and you’ll all see just how good the team is. I’m not guaranteeing that’ll be today but it should be soon enough, and beating Sirius hasn’t been challenging for Malmo FF for some time now. I think that, with the uncertainty at Sirius and the undoubted superiority of Malmo FF, backing the visitors to beat the -1 Asian Handicap makes a lot of sense here.
Verdict: Malmo FF to beat the -1 Asian Handicap at evens.
Saturday’s Thoughts
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts. For confidence ratings, you’ll need to go to the members section here.
Australian A-League:
Brisbane Roar vs Newcastle Jets
Central Coast Mariners vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Austrian Bundesliga:
SCR Altach vs Rapid Vienna
Admira Wacker vs Hartberg
SV Mattersburg vs Wacker Innsbruck
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Zulte-Waregem
Westerlo vs KV Oostende
Cercle Brugge vs Kortrijk
AS Eupen vs Sint-Truiden
Bulgarian A PFG:
CSKA Sofia vs Levski Sofia
Ludogorets Razgrad vs Botev Plovdiv
Croatian Prva Liga:
Rudes vs Lokomotiva Zagreb
Inter Zapresic vs Gorica
Hajduk Split vs Rijeka
English Premier League:
Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur
Bournemouth vs Fulham
Huddersfield Town vs Watford
West Ham United vs Leicester City
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Newcastle United vs Southampton
Estonian Meistriliiga:
Nomme Kalju vs Tallinna Kalev
Maardu vs Tulevik
Tammeka vs Trans Narva
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
VPS vs KPV
KuPS vs FC Honka Espoo
IFK Mariehamn vs RoPS
French Ligue 1:
En Avant Guingamp vs Olympique de Marseille
Dijon FCO vs Stade Rennais
OGC Nice vs Stade Malherbe de Caen
Nimes Olympique vs Girondins de Bordeaux
Racing Club Strasbourg vs Montpellier HSC
German Bundesliga:
Bayern Munich vs Werder Bremen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Nurnberg
Augsburg vs VfB Stuttgart
Mainz 05 vs Fortuna Dusseldorf
Borussia Moenchengladbach vs RB Leipzig
Schalke 04 vs TSG Hoffenheim
German Bundesliga 2:
Hamburger SV vs Erzgebirge Aue
Holstein Kiel vs Paderborn 07
MSV Duisburg vs SV Sandhausen
Greuther Furth vs Union Berlin
Hungarian Liga 1:
Puskas FC vs Mezokovesd-Zsory
Ujpest vs Budapest Honved
MTK Budapest vs Varda SE
Diosgyori VTK vs Paksi SE
Debreceni VSC vs Szombathelyi Haladas
Ferencvaros vs Vidi
Italian Serie A:
Parma vs AC Milan
SS Lazio vs Chievo Verona
Cagliari vs Frosinone
Bologna vs Sampdoria
Udinese vs Sassuolo
Empoli vs SPAL
Genoa vs Torino
Juventus vs ACF Fiorentina
Internazionale vs AS Roma
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Palanga vs Stumbras
Rieterai vs Atlantlas Klaipeda
Dutch Eredivisie:
FC Emmen vs FC Utrecht
Groningen vs AFC Ajax Amsterdam
Vitesse Arnhem vs PEC Zwolle
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs AZ Alkmaar
VVV Venlo vs De Graafschap
Portuguese Liga 1:
Belenenses vs Rio Ave
Moreirense vs Chaves
Feirense vs Sporting Braga
FC Porto vs Santa Clara
Portuguese Liga 2:
Pacos de Ferreira vs Academico Viseu
SL Benfica II vs Famalicao
Academica de Coimbra vs Mafra
Vitoria Guimaraes II vs Arouca
Russian Premier League:
FK Ufa vs Arsenal Tula
FK Orenburg vs FK Rostov
Dinamo Moscow vs Krylya Sovetov Samara
Lokomotiv Moscow vs CSKA Moscow
FK Krasnodar vs Zenit St. Petersburg
Spanish Primera Liga:
Celta de Vigo vs Girona
Eibar vs Atletico Madrid
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid vs Huesca
Barcelona CF vs Real Sociedad
Swedish Allsvenskan:
GIF Sundsvall vs Kalmar FF
Sirius vs Malmo FF
Swiss Super League:
Grasshopper Zurich vs FC Thun
St. Gallen vs Luzern
Swiss Challenge League:
Winterthur vs Servette
SC Kriens vs FC Schaffhausen
Rapperswil-Jona vs Vaduz
Chiasso vs Lausanne Sport
Turkish Super Lig:
Trabzonspor vs Yeni Malatyaspor
Akhisarspor vs Antalyaspor
Galatasaray vs Kayserispor
Goztepe vs BB Erzurumspor
Enjoy your free betting tips!